Mount Elbert : High Mountain in Colorado

Mount Elbert is the highest ridge and highest Fourteener in Colorado. It’s located in the Sawatch Range, precisely 16 miles southwest of Leadville.

How High Is Mount Elbert?

Mount Elbert, long considers that it is 14,433 feet above sea level, gained seven feet to 14,440 feet in an raising interrogation conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1993. It has a renown of 9,073 feet

Mount Elbert carries many observes for its summit.

It’s the most important one ridge in the 3,000 mile long Rocky Mountains, a mountain chain which plucks from Canada to Mexico. It is also the second highest comb in the neighboring lower 48 districts after 14,505 feet Mount Whitney in California and is the fourth more prominent comb in the lower 48 districts. It’s location in relation to the Continental Divide spawns it the most important one ridge in the Mississippi River drainage.

Dueling Peaks

During the 1970 s a group of Mount Massive aficionados “ve decided that” Elbert’s northern neighbor was more deserving of the honour of Colorado‘s highest comb. They routinely stacked stones onto Massive’s summit cairn by seeking to surpass Mount Elbert. Elbert proposes would then clambering the mountain and rupture the cairn down. Eventually, the exponents tired of video games and gave up the fight.

Namesake Of Mount Elbert

Mount Elbert is mentioned for Samuel Hitt Elbert, the territory administrator of Colorado in 1873.

Elbert came to Colorado in 1862 as secretary for Governor John Evans. He marriage Evans’ daughter in 1865, then served in the territory parliament before being appointed administrator by President Ulysses S. Grant. Elbert helped one controversial epoch before being replaced. He subsequently helped 20 times on the Colorado Supreme Court.

Climbing Mount Elbert

The first perpetuated ascending was by H.W. Struckle of the Hayden Survey in 1874. Mount Elbert has been clambered was not just by hoof, but more by mule, mare, jeep, ATV, and even apache helicopters, which briefly moored with a news photographer who lodged an evening volume of the Denver Post at the summit cairn.

The easiest and most popular clambering itineraries are categorized as Class 1 to 2 or A +, make over 4,100 feet in raising. The itineraries don’t require any mountaineer knowledge or rock climbing. The two easiest ones are precisely strenuous period hikes. The North (Main) Elbert Trail is 4.6 miles long and dedicates close to the Elbert Creek Campground, gaining 4,500 feet. The South Elbert Trail is 5.5 miles long and incomes 4,600 feet with an easier value. The Black Cloud Trail is lot tougher, a Class 2 clambering that incomes 5,300 feet and becomes more than 10 hours. It’s known for some especially steep the articles and loose stone. Check with the Leadville Ranger District, San Isabel National Forest for current trail information.

After the Coloradoe Avalanche hockey team won the Stanley Cup in 2001, Avs vice president Mark Waggoner, an avid peak bagger, carried the famed trophy to the top of Mount Elbert.

“This is a dream is true”, Waggoner told reporters on his cel phone after contacting the summit at 10:15 in the morning . This is an evoking and joyful epoch for all of us. It’s a beautiful, clear period. We can see for 100 miles.